Pregame: Illinois vs Northwestern, Thursday, February 23rd, 8:00pm CT, BTN

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#6      
foby
Just keep stacking

Stacking Amino Acids GIF by synergic
 
#15      
Second place is 1st loser
Guards HAVE to be good in this game, most notably Epps. The NW guards are old, experienced and are the key to their whole operation. I've never been big on Boo, but he's having a great year. Epps has the be solid on both ends of the court. That is going through be such a key matchup.

Audige could play and start on just about any team in the country. Guessing TSJ gets that assignment? If we can limit their backcourt and make it a transition game....we win. If they slow it down and it becomes a game of possessions, that'll be trouble. Their guards flat out execute late in games, while we've struggled.

Who would have thought back in November that the game vs NW would carry this much weight? Wow!
 
#18      
IlliniCub 16
We are 0-2 in revenge games this year and 0-5 against our biggest rivals (IU, Mizzou, Iowa, NU). I realize it's a stretch to call NU a rival, but it would be a great time to end both of those droughts on Thursday!

Hopefully it will help that the team and the crowd should be fired up for this one as opposed to the usual low stakes, just trying to avoid a bad loss Northwestern matchups that we are used to.

Can anyone think of a higher stakes Northwestern home basketball game? Maybe the one in late February 2017 when both teams were trying to make the tourney. We swept the Kitties that year but they made the tournament for the first time anyway and of course Groce got fired.

Having TSJ back and healthy would be huge as he is the type of athlete that Northwestern does not have a great answer for on defense.
 
#20      
fatboyslim
IlliniCub 16 said:
We are 0-2 in revenge games this year and 0-5 against our biggest rivals (IU, Mizzou, Iowa, NU). I realize it's a stretch to call NU a rival, but it would be a great time to end both of those droughts on Thursday!

Hopefully it will help that the team and the crowd should be fired up for this one as opposed to the usual low stakes, just trying to avoid a bad loss Northwestern matchups that we are used to.

Can anyone think of a higher stakes Northwestern home basketball game? Maybe the one in late February 2017 when both teams were trying to make the tourney. We swept the Kitties that year but they made the tournament for the first time anyway and of course Groce got fired.

Having TSJ back and healthy would be huge as he is the type of athlete that Northwestern does not have a great answer for on defense.
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We get one at home this time so hopefully that will be the difference.;)
 
#21      
fuggles
I don't know why anyone would call Northwestern a big rival. We've beaten them 141 times (to 44 losses). And 8 out of the last 9. I think Groce was 50/50 against, but otherwise not close.
 
#22      
Vinegarben
N.W. is the real deal. Illini will have to bring triple A game on Thursday. At N.W. Illini committed 29 fouls giving N.W. 32-40 at the foul line while only shooting 10 free throws. Buie and Audige went 18 of 20 at the line. Illini also had 15 turnovers. Can't happen again. They cannot allow another player to go off with 25-30 points and allow Buie and Audige to get into the lane. Illini will need more balanced scoring and stay out of foul trouble. This is a quad 1 game and would add to the resume. If the Illini stay focused and come to play I think they win by 5.
 
#23      
Godard
Please quadruple-team Boo Buie. If you can figure out a way how, septuple-team him.
 
#25      
Bigtex
Don't let Buie get to the hoop and don't foul him. I am ok with him shooting from distance. Audige much better shooter - don't help off of him.
 
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